Despite leading by six points with less than a minute to play in regulation, the Los Angeles Lakers lost 113-105 to the Milwaukee Bucks after an overtime period.
To start the game, Lakers guard Wayne Ellington found his stroke from long range early and scored nine points on three triples in the first quarter. However, the Lakers did find any separation until Carlos Boozer and Nick Young entered the contest. After a stretch on the sidelines, Young came through with 12 points in the first half and 16 points for the game.
Boozer would be the Lakers' top scorer on the night, as the big man scored 12 points in the second quarter alone.
The Lakers led by as many as 14 points in the first half. However, a late Milwaukee run trimmed that lead to only eight points entering the halftime break. After a poor finish to the second quarter, Boozer's late bucket helped LA regain its footing entering the locker room.
In the first 24 minutes, the Lakers had managed to hold Giannis Antetokounmpo to 10 points and three rebounds. In the third quarter, the "Greek freak" would score 10 points and grab three rebounds to double his totals for the game. Antetokounmpo helped the Bucks on a 17-2 run to end the third quarter.
Suddenly, the Lakers found themselves down 74-68 after the Bucks outscored their opposition 28-14 in the third quarter. LA committed five turnovers in the quarter and went ice cold at the wrong time. The Lakers shot only 26 percent for the quarter.
To start the fourth period, the Lakers' bench again battled back. The purple and gold quickly clawed to within one point. Boozer led the rally and had the visitors down 78-77 on his 16th point of the night. Soon after, LA regained the lead and stormed past the Bucks. Boozer, Ellington and Young would combined to finish with 54 points after four quarters.
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However, a trio of Bucks' three-pointers would erase a 6-point Lakers' lead with 1:02 to play. When former USC Trojan O.J. Mayo hit the last of those three-pointers with 0.5 seconds to play, the Bucks and Lakers were level at 94-94.
In the overtime period, Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Knight would score the first five points and give the home team an early five-point lead in the extra five-minute period. Ellington and Boozer would help the Lakers cut the deficit to only one point, but Knight would respond by hitting a difficult three-pointer despite a solid defensive possession from the Lakers.
With only 57.3 second to play in the overtime period, the Bucks took a four-point lead.
From there, a series of missed shots and an offensive foul would send Khris Middleton to the foul line, where the 23-year-old shooting guard would hit both free throws. Middleton would finish with 21 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and three steals.
Knight would add another couple points at the foul line to finish with 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Antetokoumpo finished with a team-high 25 points to go along with his six rebounds.
On the night, Boozer finished with a game-high 28 points, which was also a new season high for the veteran. Lakers forward Ed Davis pulled down 20 rebounds, which was his new career high.
Still, the Lakers came up short and lost 113-105. The Bucks won their fourth in a row on the season and their fourth in a row against the Lakers. On the season, the Lakers fell to 13-36.
Next, LA travels to Florida to face the Orlando Magic on Friday.
Notes: Jordan Hill rejoined the team, but the Lakers' starting center/forward did not play against the Bucks. Hill is not expected to play in Orlando. Davis helped the Lakers out-rebound the Bucks 53-35. LA edged the Bucks 18-5 on the offensive glass. The Lakers lost the turnover battle 18-12, and Milwaukee scored 31 points off turnovers. The Lakers only scored 14 points off Milwaukee errors.
